EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ECONOMIC INCOME AND FOOD SECURITY IN REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS FROM VENEZUELA IN LIMA, PERÚ

Perú is the second country in the world to receive migrants from Venezuela with approximately 1,2 million people. The objective of this study is to evaluate aspects of the socioeconomic situation of refugees and migrants from Venezuela residing in Metropolitan Lima (Peru) in the context of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study was developed through a multisectoral survey by telephone and during the month of January 2022. The main results are: families are integrated between one to nine people; 59% live in overcrowded conditions, the monthly family income is S/ 1067,3 (€ 246.60); the monthly expenditure on food is S/ 470,9 (€ 108,8) the percentage of families with food insecurity is 70,5%, with 32,2% in severe food insecurity and employment is mainly informal. When comparing the results identified with the pre-pandemic situation, it is observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on this population, making the homes they inhabit more precarious, reducing economic income and worsening coping strategies to obtain food. In this context, interventions aimed at improving employment and entrepreneurship, access to safe housing and also access to and consumption of food, especially for the most vulnerable age groups, are necessary.